Susty Person of The Week: Ebenezar Wikina

Born on August 10^th 1992, Ebenezar Wikina hails from Kono in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. He is a digital journalist who is passionate about the role of new media in advancing the work of diplomacy and sustainable development.

Ebenezar currently serves as Digital Communications/Research Officer at the Government of Rivers State Sustainable Development Goals Office. He contributes regularly on various local and international platforms such as; The Huffington Post, Ventures Africa, UNICEF Voices of Youth, City News Port Harcourt; and his writing has been featured on the United Nations Website, the World Economic Forum Blog, Agenda, CNBC Africa, to mention a few.

On his globally-read interview column, The Stroll, which he started in 2013 with his mobile phone, Ebenezar has engaged over 120 global leaders and change makers around the world including, Mr Ahmad Alhendawi (The UN Youth Envoy), UN Under-Secretary-General Gyan Acharya, Under-Secretary-General Babatunde Osotimehin (Exec Director, UNFPA), Assistant-Secreta0ry-General Lakshmi Puri (Deputy ED, UN Women), Richard Wurman (Founder of TED), Elsie Kanza (Head of Africa, World Economic Forum), Crown Prince Haakon Magnus (Crown Prince of Norway), The CNN Freedom Project, Stephen Sackur (Host of BBC HARDtalk), Owen Benneth Jones (BBC World Service Presenter), Ndaba Mandela (Grandson of Nelson Mandela), Koko Kalango (Project Director of the Port Harcourt World Book Capital City Project), Femi Oke (Host of Al Jazeera’s ‘The Stream’), to mention but a few.

He recently introduced The Stroll Live where he plans to organize live virtual mentorship sessions for young people willing to meet with previous/future guests from The Stroll.

In November 2014 Ebenezar organized TEDxYouth@OrdinanceRoad, the only TEDxYouth event in West Africa that year, and has previously volunteered for TEDxStadiumRoad, TEDxPortHarcourt, and TEDxPortHarcourt Salon.

In June 2015 he was one of the outstanding 80 youths and Global Shapers from around Africa selected to represent their hubs and countries at the 25^th Anniversary of the World Economic Forum on Africa which held in Cape town, South Africa, where he was also a speaker at a public session on “technology and media consumption” alongside fellow speakers; Honourable Minister for Information in South Africa, Hon Faith Muthambi, Uzodinma Iweala, Editor-in-Chief of Ventures Africa, to mention a few.

In June 2016, Ebenezar was elected Curator of the Port Harcourt Global Shapers Hub which has one mandate, to #ShapePortHarcourt.

It is so hard to believe Ebenezar is only 24 years old !!! Read his interview below:

Please introduce yourself – The way you want the world to know you J

My name is Ebenezar Wikina. I’m a 24 year old Ogoni boy who has two life goals: First to make it to heaven when everything in this part of life is said and done, and secondly to work at the United Nations.

That’s my “big picture” introduction (Lol). If I want to break it down, I would then say stuff like; I’m a digital journalist, who is passionate about diplomacy and sustainable development, and I contribute regularly on various local and international platforms including, The Huffington Post, UNICEF Voices of Youth, Ventures Africa, City News Port Harcourt, to mention a few. My writing has also been featured on the United Nations website, the World Economic Forum blog, Agenda, and CNBC Africa.

My interview column, “The Stroll Live“, which I started in 2013 with my mobile phone has so far featured over 120 global leaders, activists and champions to share their stories and ideas on development and the SDGs. “The Stroll Live” has recently evolved into a mentorship platform for young people willing to meet and be mentored by the guests featured on the interview series.

I currently serve as the Digital Communications/Research Officer at the Government of Rivers State Sustainable Development Goals Office; Organizer/Primary Licensee of TEDxYouth@OrdinanceRoad; and Curator of the World Economic Forum Port Harcourt Global Shapers Hub.

Why digital journalism? Specifically, why in Development?

Maybe the question should be, why journalism… Journalism and the Media is what I have always known right from time. At age 9 or 10, I bought a world receiver radio from saving up my transport (Lol). My Mom almost killed me when she found out! I don’t know who told me about the BBC or how to search for the BBC on shortwave but as far back as I can remember, I can recall listening to BBC World Have Your Say deep into the night and borrowing Mom’s Nokia 3310 to send a text message to the show to air my view, and whenever my message was read On Air, I slept happy! Lol. I also remember being the press club president in Primary 4 back in Primary School, and even when I lost my way in Secondary School I was in the sciences but very active in Press Club. So, it’s just me.

Why digital journalism? I’m a strong believer in the digital age and the fourth industrial revolution which Prof Klaus Schwab has been trying to get the world to think about. Technology will disrupt—and is already disrupting—every sphere of life including journalism. Journalists have to adapt to these new technologies to remain relevant. Because I want to remain relevant, I am already preparing myself.

Why development? One Media Scholar defined Development Journalism as ”the kind of journalism that pays sustained attention to the coverage of ideas, policies, programs, activities and events dealing with the improvement of the life of people”, and that’s basically just me. When I’m talking about Arsenal, you hear me argue about their Youth development programme much more than the goal Sanchez scored. I’m often more interested in the eternal value of things, and so development work and development communications just seemed very natural for me.

You are an inspiration to many young people, what or who inspires you?

Am I? Really who are these young people? Lol. God inspires me. My story and the very irregular path I have followed so far, inspires me to keep on keeping on. And the great work so many of my mentors and role models like, Jennifer Uchendu (Lol), are doing inspires me as well.

How much of international exposure is required for youth development?

I’m guessing by International exposure you mean travelling for conferences, etc. right? I travelled for the first time out of Nigeria in 2015 (Ps: that is just last year). However, before 2015 I had interviewed close to 100 global leaders, and even interviewed people from CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera—without any journalism certification, without any visa stamp on my international passport, and without even having a laptop of my own.

Technology is disrupting everything like I earlier mentioned, and all the so called “international exposure” we’re looking for is already at the tip of our fingers via social media. Yes, I won’t lie, travelling is great; especially when you are sponsored, Lol. But all the travelling in the world won’t amount to anything if you haven’t developed the global citizen mind-set, and if you haven’t started developing yourself with the resources you already have at your disposal.

What are your favourite SDGs and Why?

I’ve been asking global leaders this particular question on “The Stroll Live” since January and I didn’t even think about which are my favourite. Lol

Okay, I love Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals, because I believe if Goal 17 works every other Goal will work. More than ever before, we need more partnerships to make this global agenda a reality. I will personally be willing to partner with any Government or Non-Government organization that is working on any of the goals and will need my skills in anyway. I will be more than happy to help and partner.

Partnership is also one thing my boss, Hon Toru Ofili, Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on SDGs preaches every day at the office.

Goal 9, Innovation and Infrastructure, is also my favourite and it’s what the Global Shapers Community is advocating for with the #Internet4All Campaign. I am what I am today, thanks to the exposure I gained via the internet. Africa has an infrastructure problem.

On the Blood Policy campaign, what is it about? The success rate so far, and how can more people get involved?

#NigerianBloodPolicy is an advocacy campaign launched by the Port Harcourt Global Shapers Hub calling on the Nigerian National Assembly to come up with laws to guide blood transfusion and donation activities in Nigeria.

Last time I checked the campaign had 78 signatures, and we already had some grand plans to push the campaign only for us to hear that the national assembly passed a health act into law in 2014 which covers most of what we already asked for in our petition. Prior to this time, we had checked all over the NASS website and tried to verify if there was any already existing law already covering what were about the petition the national assembly on—we saw nothing. I personally go in touch with Sen Saraki and Hon Dogora’s offices and got no reply. Only to hear about the act few days ago—It was annoying. Actually Part VI and sections 47 to 58 of the Health Act 2014 gives legal framework around tissue, blood, and blood products donation.

Currently we’re strategizing and speaking with stakeholders on what could be the possible way forward. Beyond the policy, people can get involved by signing up to be voluntary blood donors or blood donor advocates in their respective communities. Nigeria needs about 1.4 -1.7 million units if blood annually. If about 1% of us agree to stand up to donate, as many that are fit to give, I’m sure the mortality rate due to blood-related deaths will reduce drastically.

How do you think Nigeria can manage conflict amongst youths in the Niger Delta?

First thing I’ll like to debunk is, as much the news from this region is that of terror and fear. Great stuff, my dear, is also happening in the Niger Delta. There are many young people who are building apps and businesses. Some are farming, while others are lecturing in the universities they graduated from. Great stuff is also happening here!

On conflict management, I’m not an expert or anything like that, so I may not sound very professional, but most of the claims we’ve heard is that the weapons these guys wield were mostly given to them by politicians who used them as mercenaries during elections and dumped them immediately they won and got into office. These boys then go ahead using the weapons to terrorize innocent people. There are other causes too, mostly political, but I’ll leave that for now as my mentors have always warned me to stay out of political discussions in the Nigerian space—even though most times it’s inevitable J

Young people have a lot of energy that has to be channelled the right way or else they become weapons of destruction. Let young people all over the country be actively engaged. I get worried anytime I hear about graduation ceremonies because our job market is receiving more people whom we don’t even know what to do with—mighty thanks to our rigid educational system that doesn’t help to prepare young people for the current realities.

On education, what are your thoughts on education in Nigeria?

I could pause here and write a book about how rigid the educational system is. Teachers are not paid well, no correct entry tests for these teachers and lecturers—it’s becoming an all comers affair, thus people who have no business whatsoever in the classroom are head teachers and they are doing a miserable job!

No infrastructure. Very few tertiary institutions; Corruption, I could go on and on. I’ve not had a regular education so far and although it’s not been very deliberate, I am totally grateful for it. Staying outside the formal 4 walls has given my mind the ability to see other realities and possibilities. It had also given me time to prepare for the real world. My current program at the International Institute of Journalism, Port Harcourt Lecture Centre and all the other professional media programmes I have completed are very real! And that’s what we need—Reality not fiction!

Our current educational system doesn’t really prepare young people to take on the world as it currently is. Maybe in the 1960s this was great, yeah? But I still don’t know why our curriculum has remained rigid and narrow. It just beats my logic. I saw this funny article on Zikoko sometime ago that juxtaposed careers back in the day and careers now. In my Mom’s time, Secretarial studies was great, engineering, medicine, etc were the buzz. But these days we have opportunities in several emerging industries. In fact there are even more opportunities for young people in Agriculture; in programming, in Artificial intelligence, etc. The fourth industrial revolution will disrupt and is already disrupting our jobs, the way we once knew them in our father’s time. We need to evolve or risk getting lost in time. There’s so much said about our graduates performing below par. They cannot spell, they cannot write application letters. Yes, they also have a role to play in all this but have we found a way to tailor the educational system to meet their needs?

Which employer looking for someone who will fix a certain machine—which a graduate hasn’t seen all his life—will ask you about Sine 90 or Cos 90? Why fill their heads with what they will not NEED??

Another thing is, why do people go to school? The Nigerian society had made attending school a medal for social validation much more than the sincere quest to be educated. We have also put so much pressure on the schooling system because everyone is only relying on formal education when there are indeed many other forms of education. I could really write a book about this, but my problem is when we talk about the system and its flaws. No one really does anything. It’s always just story time. That’s what gets me worried.

What is the one thing you want to tell Nigerian youths looking to make a difference?

First, find yourself. Young people are very used to jumping on what we think is trendy. Development in a way is becoming trendy these days so we see more young people trying to start NGOs or take pictures at an orphanage when indeed many of them are not designed for such stuff. Find yourself; don’t try to be like anyone else.

Develop yourself. Arm yourself with the relevant information about the cause you want to fight or the issue you want to change. Who are the people already working in that field who are doing great? Can you connect with them via social media or in any way to see if you can learn one or two things from them so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes they made? Get mentored. Then prepare to meet roadblocks. The road to your dreams is not tarred with coal tar and beautified by street lights. It’s bumpy, it gets lonely and dark many times. Sometimes you want to even give up. It’s in such times you need a source, for me my source was God. He kept me going even in those dark years.

More than ever before, this is one of the most exciting times to be a young African. There are so many opportunities out there. Jump on “Opportunity Desk” or “Opportunities for Africans” and see all the awesome development opportunities you can fit into.

We cannot take away Development from election processes in Nigeria. What ways do you think we can make our election processes free and fair?

First, we need to continue advocating the idea that election is not a do-or-die affair. There will be winners and there will be losers. Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan can still walk around freely and in fact few days ago he visited Aso Rock and was warmly received because of that singular act of conceding defeat during the 2015 elections. I wish more politicians learn to follow that example he had left for posterity.

Also, it will be very difficult but we need to also start teaching ourselves to look at politics and governance beyond my people my people and your people, your people. I don’t know if you understand what I mean. The way sentiments cloud our judgment during elections can be very funny.

Some people have also suggested that if we digitize the election process just like we have in most parts of the developed world, (I don’t know if our infrastructure is sophisticated enough for that yet) then we will have free and fair elections. In the last elections, card readers did great in some parts of the nation but were also objects of controversy in other parts. So, we just need to keep reorienting ourselves and growing to the point where we are more interested in the intellectual content and leadership track record of each contestant much more than where he/she is from.

What is it about you that not a lot of people know?

I have more books than clothes. Lol. I watch cartoons, I teach the children Sunday School Class in church, and I used to be depressed during the years of trying to get into the University as a teenager and even fell into bad habits like masturbation and pornography growing up. But only God in HIS infinite mercies delivered me from them. I can talk about them now, because it’s now a testimony. Back then, it was horrible. So, I’m not sure what you’re going through, and this may sound like I am about turning SustyVibes into Church, or like I am a “spirikoko brother”, but I can assure you that if you give your life to Christ, HE will give you a reason to live again. HE will help you out of every bondage or addiction you might currently be in. We are human beings and by our efforts alone, we can do nothing. Just allow God to help you.
Also, another thing is, I love rice—Fried, parboiled, toasted, burnt—all kinds of rice! Lol

And finally I am an Arsenal Fan; which means I have a lot of patience.

How can people reach you or learn about your work?

This shortlink, http://Bit.ly/Ebenezar has stuff about me. I’m on Facebook, Twitter, Insta, Snapchat, Medium, Youtube, LinkedIn, everywhere really. Or better still just Google “Ebenezar Wikina” and everything you need to know will pop up.

Thank you for the opportunity to share.